Announced at Gamescom, the upcoming Battlefield 1 Incursions Closed Alpha is competitive gaming the Battlefield way. Producer David Sirland explains what this means and what DICE’s vision is for this experience.

Although we are still working on a competitive Battlefield experience and all details are not yet confirmed, our vision for the experience is clear: a tight, team-oriented experience for all skill levels. “Easy to pick up, hard to master” might be a worn phrase, but that’s exactly what we have in mind. As two five-man teams face off, the smartest and most strategic players will win the day – and everybody will have enjoyed the ride.

Keeping it Battlefield Participants of the Battlefield 1 Incursions Closed Alpha will notice how we’ve stayed true to what makes Battlefield unique. So, what does that mean? It means playing the strengths of unique classes to support your team. It means vehicles. It means using destruction as a tactic. Though you’ll experience a more compact scale in the 5-versus-5 matches of the Battlefield 1 Incursions Closed Alpha, it takes place within a bigger theater of war with the aforementioned, iconic gameplay elements in place.

As intense to watch as to playWe want the matches of ourcompetitive experience to be full of dramatic Battlefield moments, high fidelity gameplay, big wins, and dramatic comebacks. The games should be a thrill both for those in the squad and those spectating. There should also be top-notch support in place for those casting matches to friends and the world.

Dedicated support and metrics sharingWe want to dedicate our efforts to the players of competitive Battlefield in the same way you dedicate yourselves to the game. Every single hour you’re going to spend will be important to us, and dedicated support will therefore be a big priority. The hours of play experience you’ve gathered should matter.

It’s also our ambition to give the community access to the stats and results data tracked in the Battlefield 1 Incursions Closed Alpha. By sharing gameplay-related data through APIs, players and developers will be able to extend their experiences. The goal is to fulfill the needs of players, casters, and organizers.

Exclusive Closed Alpha coming upFrom Thursday September 21, select players will be among the first to experience competitive Battlefield as the Battlefield 1 Incursions Closed Alpha will begin. Here, players will be able to fight on a scaled-down version of theGiant’s Shadow map, with a Light Tank and Armored Car supporting the teams.

Note that the features, content, and systems of Battlefield 1 Incursions may change between Closed Alpha and its final, finished form.

If you didn’t make the Alpha, more opportunities to enjoy this competitive experience will come your way. For the Closed Alpha, livestreams and gameplay videos shared across the community will also give you a good look at what we’re creating.